Electromechanical slider valve suction controller

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a fluid management assembly. The fluid management assembly includes a handpiece, a slider based fluid control mechanism, and a fluid occluding member. The slider based fluid control mechanism housed in the handpiece. The fluid occluding member is configured to be in communication with the fluid control mechanism. The fluid occluding member being separate from the handpiece.

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a fluid management assembly, and morespecifically relates to an electromechanical slider valve suctioncontroller.

Brief Description of Prior Developments

Many of the conventional medical orthopedic shavers have a suction pathto aspirate fluid and other remnants from a patient's joint such asknee, elbow, shoulder, ankle and wrist to waste. The suction pathwaygenerally requires a valve to control the amplitude of suction duringsurgical procedures. Many of the current orthopedics medical shaverhandpiece devices have a mechanical valve which enables the user tocontrol the suction through the suction cannula.

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional orthopedics handpiece shaver device 10having a housing 12 which surrounds a motor 14, a gearbox 16, and acoupler 18. The device 10 is configured such that a blade (or any othersuitable attachment) is removably attachable to a front end of thedevice 10. The device 10 further comprises a suction control valve 20and a suction cannula 22. A back end of the device 10 is configured toreceive a cable 24 for connection to the motor 14. Additionally, buttons26 are provided for user control of the device 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the mechanical valve 20 is integrated within thecannula of a handpiece shaver suction path. This generally results invarious limitations and disadvantages.

SUMMARY

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a fluid managementassembly is disclosed. The fluid management assembly includes ahandpiece, a slider based fluid control mechanism, and a fluid occludingmember. The slider based fluid control mechanism housed in thehandpiece. The fluid occluding member is configured to be incommunication with the fluid control mechanism. The fluid occludingmember being separate from the handpiece.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method isdisclosed. A handpiece is provided. A slider based fluid controlmechanism is connected to the handpiece. A fluid occluding memberconfigured to be in communication with the fluid control mechanism isprovided. The fluid occluding member is separate from the handpiece.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and other features of the invention are explainedin the following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a section view of a conventional medical orthopedic shaver;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fluid management system incorporatingfeatures of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a section view of a shaver handpiece of the fluid managementsystem shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the fluid management systemshown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a tube and a valve portion of the fluidmanagement system shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is perspective view of a valve of the fluid management systemshown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 provides various perspective views of different hand grippositions of the shaver handpiece of the fluid management system shownin FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a perspective view of a fluidmanagement system 100 incorporating features of the invention. Althoughthe invention will be described with reference to the exemplaryembodiments shown in the drawings, it should be understood that theinvention can be embodied in many alternate forms of embodiments. Inaddition, any suitable size, shape or type of elements or materialscould be used.

The fluid management system 100 includes a handpiece 102 and console104. A shaver tubeset 106 is connected between the console 104 and thehandpiece 102. The tubeset 106 is connected to the console 104 through avalve 105. Additionally, a power cable 108 is connected between theconsole 104 and the handpiece 102.

According to various exemplary embodiments, the console 104 may be ashaver console available from Stryker Corporation. However in alternateembodiments, any suitable type of shaver console, or variations thereof,may be provided.

Referring now also to FIG. 3, the shaver handpiece 102 comprises ahousing 110 which surrounds a motor 112, a coupling 114, and a suctioncannula 116. The handpiece 102 is configured such that an attachment 118(such as a blade, for example) is removably connected to a front end ofthe handpiece 102. A motor shaft 111, extending from the motor 112,comprises a pinion gear (driving) 113 which is configured to engage witha driven gear 115 on the coupling 114 to provide rotation to theattachment 118. According to various exemplary embodiments, theattachment 118 itself does not rotate, as the attachment 118 is astationary component that accepts a disposable blade wherein an innerhub (of the attachment 118) engages with the coupling 114 to rotate oroscillate the inner disposable blade. A back end of the handpiece 102 isconfigured to receive a cable connector 120 of a cable 122 forconnection to the motor 112. Also at the back end is an interfaceportion between the suction cannula 116 and the shaver tubeset 106.Additionally, activation buttons 124 are provided at the housing 110.

The fluid management system 100 provides for a slider electro-mechanicalvalve which includes a slider (or fluid control mechanism) 128 with along magnet 130 which is captured inside and along a bottom portion ofthe slider 128. The slider 128 (and the magnet 130 along with the slider128) is configured to move such that the magnet 130 slides above a halleffect sensor 132 which controls the (occluder) valve 105 to restrictthe flow through the flexible suction tubeset 106.

Still referring to FIG. 3, the shaver handpiece with the slider suctioncontroller valve is provided with a printed circuit board (PCB) andelectronic circuitry configured such that the Hall Effect sensor 132detects the slider magnet 130 location. Based on the slider location(magnet location), the occluder valve (or fluid occluding member) 105with an actuator 136 restricts the suction flow proportionally throughthe shaver tubeset 106 (see also FIG. 4).

For example, as shown in FIG. 4 the occluder valve 105 is disposedwithin the shaver console 104 where the shaver tubeset 106 passesthrough the valve 105. The actuator 136 moves ‘in’ and ‘out’ to restrictthe flow through the shaver tubeset 106. For example, as shown in FIG. 5(which illustrates a top section view of the shaver tubeset passingthough the occluder valve) the valve actuator 136 is configured tosqueeze the tube 106 to restrict the flow (where unrestricted flow isshown in the left hand side of FIG. 5 and restricted flow is shown inthe right hand side of FIG. 5).

The valve 105 may be a pinch valve manufactured by Resolution Air, forexample (see FIG. 6). However in alternate embodiments, any suitablevalve may be provided. In the example described above, the pinch valve105 and the actuator 136 are controlled by a stepper motor of theconsole 104.

According to various exemplary embodiments of the invention, the sliderelectromechanical suction control can be placed away from the suctioncannula pathway. This feature enables the user to have different handgrip positions. For example, as shown in FIG. 7 a variety of ergonomichandgrips such as a pen holding grip (see “A”), a grabbing grip (see“B”), a clasping downwards grip (see “C”), and a clasping grip (see“D”). Through research, the slider valve has the most comfortablehandling and easily reachable configuration through the different typesof ergonomic grips.

Technical effects of any one or more of the exemplary embodimentsprovide significant advantages over conventional configurations. Forexample, one advantage of the slider electro-mechanical valve is that ithas no direct contact to the fluid passing through the suction cannula.Therefore, the cleaning and sanitizing of the suction cannula is muchsimpler and easily achieved. A tube brush can be used to clean straightthrough the suction cannula in much more effective and efficient way.The straight through design also enables a more efficient flow due toless turbulence and provide a better laminar flow. The straight throughdesign also minimizes the chance of clogging during a procedure whereasconventional configuration a prone to this issue. Whereas in theconventional configurations, the suction control valve has limitationsdue to its location in the handpiece. For example, it is usually placedwithin the suction cannula of the handpiece shaver. In addition, thecleaning and sanitizing of the conventional handpieces is not simple andit could be a major factor for reuse the handpiece shaver. This is dueto the difficulty of accessing certain places with a cleaning brush dueto the inherent design of having a through hole on a cylindrical barreland the angled suction path (for example see FIG. 1). Furthermore, thevalve assembly with the conventional handpiece shaver requires a precisecarefulness assembly to insure proper seal within the suction pathway.

Additional technical effects of any one or more of the exemplaryembodiments provide for a fluid suction line that is remotely controlledby a magnetic sensor through a slider mechanism. Another technicaleffect of any one or more of the exemplary embodiments provide for amagnetic sensor to remotely control the fluid flow. Another technicaleffect of any one or more of the exemplary embodiments provide for waysto ergonomically handle the shaver handpiece shaver with easy access tothe suction control slider valve.

Below are provided further descriptions of various non-limiting,exemplary embodiments. The below-described exemplary embodiments may bepracticed in conjunction with one or more other aspects or exemplaryembodiments. That is, the exemplary embodiments of the invention, suchas those described immediately below, may be implemented, practiced orutilized in any combination (e.g., any combination that is suitable,practicable and/or feasible) and are not limited only to thosecombinations described herein and/or included in the appended claims.

In one exemplary embodiment, a fluid management assembly is disclosed.The fluid management assembly comprises: a handpiece; a slider basedfluid control mechanism housed in the handpiece; and a fluid occludingmember configured to be in communication with the fluid controlmechanism; the fluid occluding member being separate from the handpiece.

A fluid management assembly as above, wherein the slider based fluidcontrol mechanism comprises a magnet based sensor.

A fluid management assembly as above, wherein the fluid occluding memberis disposed inside an equipment console separate from the handpiece.

A fluid management assembly as above, wherein the equipment consolecomprises an actuator.

A fluid management assembly as above, wherein the actuator is configuredto squeeze a tube of the assembly to restrict flow.

A fluid management assembly as above, wherein the fluid occluding membercomprises a valve.

A fluid management assembly as above, wherein fluid occluding member isconfigured to have no direct contact with fluid passing through asuction cannula of the assembly.

A fluid management assembly as above, wherein the handpiece furthercomprises a suction cannula and a drive shaft, and wherein an entirelength of the suction cannula is substantially concentric with the driveshaft.

A fluid management assembly as above, wherein the handpiece furthercomprises a motor and a printed circuit board, wherein the suctioncannula is between the motor and the printed circuit board.

In another exemplary embodiment, a method is disclosed. The methodcomprises: providing a handpiece; connecting a slider based fluidcontrol mechanism to the handpiece; and providing a fluid occludingmember configured to be in communication with the fluid controlmechanism, wherein the fluid occluding member is separate from thehandpiece.

The method as above, wherein the slider based fluid control mechanismcomprises a magnet based sensor.

The method as above, wherein the fluid occluding member is disposedinside an equipment console separate from the handpiece.

The method as above, wherein the equipment console comprises anactuator.

The method as above, wherein the actuator is configured to squeeze atube of the assembly to restrict flow.

The method as above, wherein the fluid occluding member comprises avalve.

It should be understood that components of the invention can beoperationally coupled or connected and that any number or combination ofintervening elements can exist (including no intervening elements). Theconnections can be direct or indirect and additionally there can merelybe a functional relationship between components.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is onlyillustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modificationscan be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from theinvention. Accordingly, the invention is intended to embrace all suchalternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fluid management assembly comprising: ahandpiece; a slider based fluid control mechanism housed in thehandpiece; the handpiece having a suction cannula, a coupling, and adrive shaft, wherein the coupling is connected to the driveshaft by agear therebetween, and wherein the handpiece is configured such that thecoupling is between an attachment and the suction cannula when theattachment is attached to the handpiece; and a fluid occluding memberconfigured to be in communication with the fluid control mechanism; thefluid occluding member being separate from the handpiece.
 2. Theassembly of claim 1, wherein the slider based fluid control mechanismcomprises a magnet based sensor.
 3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein thefluid occluding member is disposed inside an equipment console separatefrom the handpiece.
 4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the equipmentconsole comprises an actuator.
 5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein theactuator is configured to squeeze a tube of the assembly to restrictflow.
 6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the fluid occluding membercomprises a valve.
 7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein fluid occludingmember is configured to have no direct contact with fluid passingthrough a suction cannula of the assembly.
 8. The assembly of claim 1,wherein an entire length of the suction cannula is substantiallyconcentric with the coupling.
 9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein thehandpiece further comprises a motor and a printed circuit board, whereinthe suction cannula is between the motor and the printed circuit board.10. A method, comprising: providing a handpiece; connecting a sliderbased fluid control mechanism to the handpiece; the handpiece having asuction cannula, a coupling, and a drive shaft, wherein the coupling isconnected to the driveshaft by a gear therebetween, and wherein thehandpiece is configured such that the coupling is between an attachmentand the suction cannula when the attachment is attached to thehandpiece; and providing a fluid occluding member configured to be incommunication with the fluid control mechanism, wherein the fluidoccluding member is separate from the handpiece.
 11. The method of claim10 wherein the slider based fluid control mechanism comprises a magnetbased sensor.
 12. The method of claim 10 wherein the fluid occludingmember is disposed inside an equipment console separate from thehandpiece.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the equipment consolecomprises an actuator.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the actuatoris configured to squeeze a tube of the assembly to restrict flow. 15.The method of claim 10 wherein the fluid occluding member comprises avalve.